Today, we honor the life and sacrifice of Private First Class Gary Lee Hall, a brave U.S. Marine who gave his life in service to our country on this day in 1976 during the Vietnam War. He was just 19 years old (based on the date he was declared dead).
A resident of Covington, Kentucky, PFC Hall served with unwavering commitment as a Rifleman (MOS 0311) with Echo Company, 2nd Battalion, 9th Marines, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Amphibious Force.
On May 15, 1975, PFC Hall was aboard a Sikorsky Sea Stallion cargo helicopter operating over Cambodian waters when it went down during a mission tied to the attempted rescue of the crew of the merchant ship SS Mayaguez.
The operation, part of the broader Mayaguez incident, quickly escalated into a violent 14-hour engagement with Khmer Rouge forces less than three weeks after the fall of Saigon. It is widely regarded as the final official combat action of the Vietnam War involving U.S. service members. His body was never recovered, but his memory has been preserved with honor.
Beginning his tour in Vietnam on May 15, 1975, PFC Hall’s service exemplified the courage and devotion of a Marine who upheld the values of honor, courage, and commitment to the very end.
PFC Hall’s service and sacrifice are permanently memorialized on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall, at Panel W1, Line 130, and here at the Kentucky Vietnam Veterans Memorial.
To learn more about PFC Hall and his service to our country, click here. To leave a tribute to him on the Wall of Faces, click here.
If you have any additional information, photos, or videos related to PFC Hall or any other Kentucky veteran who made the ultimate sacrifice during the Vietnam War, we kindly invite you to share them with us here.
